Suspension and driving means for centrifugal machines.



M. H. BARKER.

SUSPENSION AND DRIVING MEANS FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21. 1904.

Lll w o I Patented May 18, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I z C/ a u Z & I

M. H. BARKER.. SUSPENSION AND DRIVING MEANS FOR CENTRIFUGAL MMZHINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21. 1904.

Patented May 18, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- w m 1 i.

V H V MELVILLE H. BARKER, 015 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SUSPENSION AND DRIVING MEANS FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May is, 915

Application filed November 21, 1904. Serial .oio. 233,591.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELVILLE H. BARKER, citizen of the United States,and resident of Boston, county of Suffolk, Massachusetts, have inventedcertain new and usefullmprovements in Suspension and Driving 'Means forCentrifugal Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to centrifugal ma chines and more particularly tothat class of machines that'are suspended upon an oscillatory supportfor rotation.

The object of the invention is to improve such machines by providing acheap and simple construction capable of affording quick and convenientaccess to all the supporting parts while at the same time affording aperfect lubrication in order to avoid the tendency of the rotary partsto become heated to which this class of machines are peculiarly liable.

In its main features the invention comprises a sectional shaft includingan upper driving member and a lower basket-carrying member rotatablysupported by an oscillatory suspending device at a point between thebasket'and the center of oscillation.

By employing the principle of construction herein disclosed asconstituting my invention, all objections which can be urged to theemployment of a rotary bearing above the point of support, as well as arotary bearing below the basket in the case of a double spindle machine,are fully obviated, while at the same time securing the positiveadvantage of perfect accessibility to the bearing parts as well as greatconvenience in assembling and taking down the machine for repairs orother purposes.

In the accompanying drawings l[ have illustrated a practical method ofembodying the principle of my invention.

Figure 1 of the drawings is an elevation principally in central sectionshowing a centrifugal machine embodying my invention and arranged to bedriven by a direct connected electric motor. Fig. 2 is an enlarged viewof a centrifugal machine embodying my invention showing how the samemight be driven by a pulley and belt.

In both figures in order to permit an enlargement of the scale of thedrawings the main portion of the rotary shaft between the basket orreceptacle and the rotary bearing support is broken out.

In the practice of my invention as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, 1 provide the usual form of overhead hanger 0: provided with aspherical socket in which rests a ball a having a spherically curvedbearing surface. The non-rotatable oscillatory spindle b. is passedthrough this spherical supporting ball and is supported thereby. Theusual rubber washer or block a serves to afi'ord a yielding resistancethe oscillations of the spindle b.

The spindle 5 instead of extending through the entire length of themachine as heretofore, is carried down below its point of oscillation orsupport only so far as may be necessary to provide suflicient space forattaching the driving means, and has provided at its lower end a bearinghead I) which supports a raceway b in which are carried a series ofanti-friction balls or rollers b which serve to form a rotary bearingsupport for the lower end of a short rotatable sleeve 0 which may beregarded as forming the upper or driving section of a horizontallydivided rotary shaft for driving and supporting the basket. This rotarysleeve is provided with a proper anti-fric-' tion bearing surface at itslower end as indicated at c and is also provided near its lower end withalaterally or radially projecting flange 0 The lower section a of thedivided shaft is preferably made solid and is provided at its upper endwith a supporting flange 0 which is bolted to the corresponding flangeon the upper section 0 so as to detachably connect the upper and lowersections together. The upper end of the rotatable shaft section 0 isprovided with a hollow or recess 0 which completely incloses the r0-tary bearing b and forms an oil reservoir by which said bearing may beat all times immersed in oil in order to secure perfect lubrication. Theoil finds its way into said bearing receptacle through the oil groove 6formed in the spindle b for the purpose of to the rotary bearingbeneath.

If desired in order to stiffen the joint between the two sections of therotary shaft, the lower end of the sleeve. 0 may be extended somewhatbelow the plane of the conveying the oil from the upper oil cup 0 flangec as shown at 0 so as to project into the hollow end of the solid shaft0 withwhich it may form a close engagement to give additional support tothe connection. At the lower end of the solid shaft 0 is secured thebasket 0! in any suitable or well .known manner.

The construction above described may be adapted to be driven either bybelt and pulley as indicated at e, e in Fig. 2 or it may be utilized fordirect electric driving for which it is especially well suited. In thelatter case I secure to the spindle immediately below the hanger, asupporting yoke f to whose projecting arms is fastened the nonrotatableelement 9 of an electric motor.

. I also provide a supplemental support. or .25

yoke f which is formed with a central bearing f surrounding the rotarysleeve 0 soas to form an additional means of steadying or holding rigidthe field magnets in their lace. Immediately below this bearing f securean annular. oil cup f whose upper portion is provided with a receptacle7 for the oil drip, and whose lower end is recessed to rece1ve a washerf of felt or other substance which is clamped in place by means of aclamping nut ,1 so as to prevent the possibility of leakage of the oil.into the receptacle below. The rotatable element or armature g of themotor is secured directly to the sleeve 0 so that when the motor isenergized by the current the motor will rotate causing the rotation ofthe sleeve 0 and the solid shaft 0 From the foregoing description anddrawings it will be seen that I get rid of the long central spindleextending entirely and take down the machine where there is but littlehead room. I also find that this construction and arrangement materiallycheapens the cost ofconstruction of the machine.

Without attempting to set forth all the changes in form, constructionand arrangement that may be made-in the practice of 'my invention what Iclaim is lhA centrifugal machine embracing in its construction, anoscillatory spindle proand provided with .a. rotary bearing near withoil reservoirs at its upper and lower spindle, a thrust bearin videdwith a bearing for rotatably supporting a basket-carrying shaft, therotary basket-carrying-shaft comprising upper and lower sectionsdetachably secured together their point of connection,substantially asdescribed.

2. A centrifugal machine embracing in its construction an oscillatorynon-rotating spindle, a thrust bearing carried by the v lower end ofsaid spindle, a rotary sleeve member surrounding said spindle androtatably supported by said thrust bearing,

- a basket-carryin shaft adapted to hang beneath said spin e, couplingflanges located 0 at the adjacent ends of said sleeve and basket shaftand adjacent to said bearing to form a detachable connection betweensaid members, substantially, as described:

3. A centrifugal machine embracing in its construction a non-rotatingoscillatory spindle, a thrust bearing carried by the lower end of saidspindle, a two-part rotary shaft comprising upper and lower membersdetachably secured toneach other adjacent to said bearing, the uppermember being supported by said bearing and having di' rect connectionwith the rotating means, and a basket secured'to the free end of thelower member, substantially as described.

4. 'A centrifugal machine embracing in its construction amoscillatorynon-rotating spindle, a thrust bearing carried at the lower end of saidspindle, a rotary driving shaft surrounding Esaid spindle and supportedby said bearing, a basket-carrying shaft whose upper end is detachablysecured end to end to the lower end of said drivin shaft, said drivingshaft being provide ends respectively having communication with eachother through the interior of said driving shaft at the level of'thethrust bearing, substantially as described.

5. A centrifugal machine embracing in its construction 'anoscillatoryspindle, a rotary sectional shaft comprlsing a hollow upper sectionsurrounding "and carried by said spindle, :a solid lower section whoselower end is secured to the basket, means for detachablyconnecting'together the adjacent ends of therespective sections, anelectric motor whose rotary element is vsecured to the upper end of thehollow shaft section to rotate with the same and whose non-rotatableelement is secured to a yoke secured directly to said oscillatoryspindle, substantially as described.

6. A centrifugal machine embracing in its construction an oscillatorynon-rotating I carried by the lower end of said spind e, a hollow motorshaft or sleeve surrounding said spindle and supportedhby said .bearing,a basketcarrying shaft suspended below said spinmses'w dle, and meansfor detachably cenneetini my hano'i, this fourteenth day of November,

said b3sliet carryin :Llaft to the loge? e11: 1904. 4

o sai s eeve the a et-carrying s a t eing provided with a recess at itsupper end MELVILLE BARKER 5 to form an oil reservoir for said thrustbear- In the presence ofing, substantially as descrlbed. GEO. N,GODDARD,

In witness whereof", I have hereunto set KATHARINE A. DUGAN.

